Over the past three decades, evidence from developmental epidemiological studies has consistently identified specific antecedents as early as first grade, of later aggressive and violent behavior. Many if not most of these antecedent risk factors are exhibited in and around classrooms and school buildings. Aggressive, disruptive behavior in the first grade classroom is a well-replicated antecedent of later youth violence, particularly when the first grade classroom is itself chaotic. In first grade and thereafter, aggressive, disruptive behavior is strongly related to poor academic achievement. In previous population based, randomized preventive trials, raising achievement levels improved early aggressive behavior, with impact lasting at least into middle school. Improving classroom management has also improved longer-term outcome. Improving the monitoring and teaching of pro-social behavior in non-instructional school settings, and improving teacher/parent partnerships have also led to reduced youth arrests and less aggressive behavior. This project seeks to build the next generation of prevention trials on these results by: 1) developing a classroom based preventive intervention program for first grade that combines curriculum, instruction, behavior management, and social skills training; 2) developing a preventive intervention program for non-instructional settings, such as the lunch room, halls, playground, and bus stop that improves adult monitoring, teaches social skills outside of the classroom, and promotes parent/teacher partnerships; 3) developing an in-service and pre-service training program to train teachers in curriculum, instruction, classroom behavior management, and school-family partnerships; 4) developing a conceptual framework, measures, and procedures for a school-based, multi-stage system of integrated services for children to back-up universal prevention programs such as the above, and 5) developing new measures of implementation, estimates of power, and psychometrics for new and existing measures. This work will be done by a unique partnership among the American Institutes for Research, the Oregon Social Learning Center (OSLC), the Prevention Science Methodology Group, Morgan State University, and the Baltimore City Public School System. A Community and Institutional Board will continue to oversee this next stage of prevention research. Two areas have already been assigned by the Baltimore City Public School System. Over the past 16 years, the parents, schools, teachers, and our Board have endorsed random or balanced assignment of children, teachers, and schools in the interest of rigorous evaluation of education and prevention work.
| Faraone, Stephen V; Brown, C Hendricks; Glatt, Stephen J et al. (2002) Preventing schizophrenia and psychotic behaviour: definitions and methodological issues. Can J Psychiatry 47:527-37 |
